SASOL'S QUARTER-CENTURY CELEBRATION

South Africa, Sasolburg · 1975-02-26

Official

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Cachet: Sasolburg refinery view.

Info card

SASOL'S QUARTER-CENTURY CELEBRATION The establishment in September 1950 of Sasol (South African Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation Ltd) was the result of many years of study on the possibility of producing oil from coal. Sasol was registered as an ordinary company in terms of the South African Companies Act and the share capital was provided by the Industrial Development Corporation on behalf of the Government. Shaft-sinking at Sasol's coal mine and the planning of the plant and the township commenced in 1951. In 1955 reaction was accomplished for the first time in the synthesis reactors and towards the end of that year the first motorists started filling up their cars with Sasol petrol at the now familiar blue pump. In 1964 Sasol began producing butadiene and styrene for the manufacture of synthetic rubber. In the same year a start was made to manufacture ammonia synthetically for the large-scale production of nitrogenous fertilisers. In 1965 the first of Sasol's two naphtha crackers was commissioned to produce ethylene, the most important feedstock for the petro-chemical industry. Not only did Sasol keep abreast of the increasing demand for its petrol in its sales area and provide a 175 km pipeline to convey fuel gas to industries in the Southern Transvaal, but it also became the hub of South Africa's chemical industry and in the sixties an extensive petro-chemical complex adjoining the oil-from-coal factory was established at Sasolburg. In partnership with Total Refining SA (Pty) Ltd and the National Iranian Oil Company, Sasol in 1971 established a refinery at Sasolburg to treat crude oil pumped by pipeline from the coast. In the midst of the increasing uncertainty regarding the availability of crude oil and the rising oil prices since 1973, Sasol has continued to speed up its development.. A project has been launched to increase the gas produciton of the existing factory by 50% and plans have been made to provide facilities for the refinement of coal in other parts of the country as well. KWARTEEUFEES VAN SASOL Die stigting van Sasol (Suid-Afrikaanse Steenkool, Olie en Gaskorporasie Bpkl in September 1950 was die gevolg van jarelange studie oor die moont- likheid om olie uit steenkool te vervaardig. Sasol is as 'n gewone maatskappy ingevolge die Suid-Afrikaanse Maatskappywet geregistreer en die aandele- kapitaal is deur die Nywerheidontwikkelingskorporasie ten behoewe van die Staat voorsien. Skaggrawery by Sasol se steenkoolmyn en beplanning van die fabriek en die dorp het in 1951 begin. In 1955 is daar vir die eerste keer reaksie in die sintesereaktors bewerkstellig en teen die einde van daardie jaar het motoriste hul motors begin vui met Sasol-petrol uit die tans bekende blou pomp. In 1964 het Sasol begin om butadieen en stireen vir die vervaardiging van kunsrubber te produseer. In dieselfde jaar is daar begin om ammoniak sinteties te vervaardig vir die grootskaalse produksie van stikstofhoudende kunsmis. In 1965 is die eerste van Sasol se twee nafta-krakers in bedryf gestel om etileen, die fondament van die petrochemiese nywerheid, te produseer. Sasol het nie alleen tred gehou met die toenemende vraag na sy brandstof in sy afsetgebied en 'n pypleiding van 175 km voorsien om brandgas na nywer hede in Suid-Transvaal te voer nie, maar het ook die kern van Suid-Afrika se chemiese nywerheid geword sodat daar in die sestigerjare langs die olie-uit- steenkool-fabriek op Sasolburg 'n uitgebreide petrochemiese kompleks tot stand gekom het. In vennootskap met Total Refining SA (Edms) Bpk en die Nasionale Iraanse Oliemaatskappy het Sasol in 1971 'n raffinadery by Sasolburg in bedryf gestel om ru-olie te verwerk wat per pypleiding van die kus af gepomp word. Te midde van toenemende onsekerheid oor die beskikbaarheid van ru-olie en die stygende oliepryse sedert einde 1973 het Sasol sy ontwikkelingsgang steeds versnel. 'n Projek is van stapel gestuur om die bestaande fabriek se gasproduk- sie met 50% te verhoog en planne is voorberei om ook elders in die land fasiliteite vir die veredeling van steenkool te skep.

Additional information

This cover was postmarked on 26 February 1975 at Sasolburg and catalogued as SAPO 2.3. Its cachet featured a view of the Sasolburg refinery, marking 25 years since Sasol's founding in September 1950 to produce oil from coal. By the end of 1955 the very first motorists were already filling up at Sasol's now familiar blue pumps, a detail that made the company's petrol instantly recognisable on South African roads for decades afterward.

Theme: Science & Technology

Condition: AverageNoticeable wear or light damage, such as creases, minor soiling, small tears, or light discolouration, but still collectable.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

Stamp denomination: R0.15 (ZAR)

SAPO serial number: 2.3

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.